Have Brits already stopped buying German products?

German exports to UK drop again, by 3.4% in first nine months of 2019

Are British consumers turning their backs on German exports?

This is on top of an 8% fall from 2015 to 2018, since the Referendum

The latest official figures out of Germany show that its goods exports to the UK have continued to fall this year.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Germany's falling exports to the UK

In the first 9 months of 2019, Germany's goods exports to the UK have fallen by a further €2.1 billion
This is on top of an 8% fall from 2015 to 2018

“The downward trend of goods trade with the United Kingdom
observed since the Brexit referendum is persisting”

- Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis), Germany’s official statistics agency, 2019

Brexit gets blamed by the Germans

A few weeks ago Germany’s state-funded media outlet Deutsche Welle headlined an article:

“German businesses already incurring Brexit losses, says industry boss”
“German businesses have already been suffering from the negative effects of Brexit, said Holger Bingmann, head of the foreign trade industry group BGA, pointing out losses to German exporters worth €3.5 billion this year.”

What about Germany’s economy as a whole?

The German media these days is full of stories about the worsening economic situation in their country. Only yesterday, a KPMG report presented a gloomy picture on foreign direct investment into Germany.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Foreign direct investment in Germany plummets

Foreign direct investment in Germany declined by two-thirds in 2018 compared to the previous year
Only 24% of US companies asked, intend to invest €10 million or more in the next three years in Germany
This compares with 47% in 2017
That’s a 50% drop in US companies planning major investments in Germany – in just one year
“Surely the uncertainty of Brexit plays a role”, says Germany’s state-funded media Deutsche Welle

Germany’s leading economic institutes have been slashing their forecasts for economic growth for this year and for next year. Indeed, Germany only narrowly avoided entering a formal recession last month, by just 0.1%.

In the second quarter of the year the German economy shrank by 0.2%.

Observations

There has been a marked drop in the value of goods exports from Germany to the UK since the Referendum.

There are of course many reasons for this, including the crisis in Germany’s once-dominant car industry since the scandal over diesel emissions.

Nevertheless, Germany’s problems go deeper. With half as many US firms planning major investments in Germany over the next three years, and manufacturing confidence falling, only an increase in domestic consumer spending prevented Germany from falling into recession in the last quarter.

Readers may wish to imagine how the BBC would present all the bad news coming out of Germany, if all this were happening in the UK instead of Germany.

Buy British?

Various 'Buy British' campaigns have sprung up in recent years. We are interested to know from readers how much these are having an impact.

Finally, as ever we make an appeal to readers to donate something today so that we can continue to bring you important research and news on all matters related to Brexit. Easy and secure donation methods are below this article. Please do not assume that other readers will do this. We are not receiving enough donations to survive. Thank you for anything you can do to help.

[ Sources: Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) | Deutsche Welle | KPMG | Rheinische Post ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 03 Dec 2019

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Reader Comments 17

1. Not4EU●, London , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 07:57:

Many people are boycotting products, not just from Germany but from any country in the EU until we have regained our independence. I usually also try make sure that staff are aware, to pass on upwards, why I'm not buying x from them as there's no British or non-EU alternative. Of course, this is just a small factor & I consider it a minor inconvenience to myself, after initial identification of brands/foodstuff origins, in order to make my protest.
As for larger purchases, I've mainly bought German cars for the last 30 years. I won't be buying one again & that time is near. Apart from my boycott, 'German engineering' is simply not what it was. I'm know that I'm not alone.
Oh for a leader who believes in this country & our independence. Ours are an anti-democratic disgrace.

2. Catherine, Dollar , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 09:03:

Not4EU, we should make your last paragraph the chorus of a battle hymn. Counter that EU one nicked from Beethoven. He didn't like Emperors either.
On the head of Germany's BGA, they've just appointed their new head, a woman. But about three weeks ago Handelsblatt's lead story was that Gunther Oettinger - until the other day the EU's Budget & HR Commissioner - wanted to become the new BGA head. This would breach the Commission rules about Commissioner's not taking up lobbying jobs until (I think) 18 months after leaving their Commissioner post. I assume this idea was sat on firmly. Oettinger is now just setting up a consultancy business.
PS have avoided buying EU27 stuff for years, where possible.

3. Sydney Ashurst , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 09:57:

Off Topic.
A guidance to LEAVE voters, go to: unite2leave.co.uk
In many Northern constituencies the Brexit Party candidate is better situated to win. The Conservative has no chance and a tactical vote is required. A BP presence in Parliament is needed.

4. John Finn , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 11:24:

3. Sydney Ashurst , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 09:57:
Re: Unite2leave This site takes no account of any current polling. It's pointless using EU election results. UKIP were the largest UK party in the EU parliament but that meant nothing in a GE. EU election was a protest vote - and not a particularly impressive one since less than one third of 2016 Leave voters took the trouble to vote for the Brexit Party. The apathy shown to some of the main parties was understandable but the lack of a strong message from Leavers via a massive Brexit Party vote was disappointing.
That said, a quick look suggests the advice from unite2leave doesn't look potentially damaging.

5. J C , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 11:30:

I'm afraid to tell you the Brits have always voted with their feet, if we feel we are being taken advantage of, we do something about it! And buying British and supporting our OWN businesses was our way of saying UP YOURS.

6. Anne SW , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 11:33:

I have noticed that in our local supermarkets the percentage of purely British products such as produce, meat and fish has exponentially increased over the last two years. I also am on a Facebook page where we exchange information on British companies producing things which we would otherwise source in EU countries, from condiments to conserves, clothing to furniture and white goods. One principle we also adhere to is to buy more from local shops instead of supermarkets. Surprisingly, our local butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers not only offer better and more seasonal produce, they often prove to be cheaper too!

7. Jim Ballantyne , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 11:46:

The eu have been trying to bully us since the referendum. There has been a constant drip of threats coming out of Brussels since the election was called, they are clearly interfering in anyway they can. Boycotting anything that comes from the EU is the easiest and must hurtful thing ordinary people can do. So stand up to the Brussels bully boys, buy goods from anywhere but the EU.

8. James Bertram , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 15:24:

Sydney - I've had a look at the unite2Leave website and it appears to be MORE TORY PROPAGANDA.
-
Alarm bells rang when I saw it being promoted by the full-on Tory rag 'The Daily Express'. Too, alarm bells rang further when they advised Leave voters to vote for the Conservatives in Peterborough, a seat that The Brexit Party has a much better chance of winning. Basically, the website is saying that where there is a moderate chance of a Conservative gaining a seat then vote Conservative. Where there is little or no chance of a Conservative winning, then vote Brexit Party. They say in such seats the Brexit Party have a plausible chance of winning - but if you look closely, these are in some cases firm Labour seats with a majority of over 20,000 (see Birmingham Hodge Hill, or Bradford West, for example. Effectively they are giving the good seats to the Conservatives, and leaving the dross for The Brexit Party.
-
I checked unite2Leave site's results against what I believe to be a more reliable site https://www.polls.uk/politi... Polls.uk's latest poll gives The Brexit Party 24 Seats overall. Too, they have shown an analysis for a few seats. Of those analysed, the Brexit Party would win Great Grimsby, Peterborough, Hull West, Normanton P & C, and Barnsley Central; and come a close second to Labour in Warrington North, Houghton and Sunderland, and Birmingham Yardley (and these 3 seats where voting Tory will split the leave vote and let Labour in). Whereas the unite2Leave website says vote Conservative in 5 of these seats, and only TBP in Hull West, Barnsley Central, and Birmingham Yardley
-
Clearly the unite2Leave website strongly favours the Conservative Party - and that's why it is promoted by The Daily Express'.
If you really want a proper Brexit (and not BRINO) my advice is to vote Brexit Party wherever you have the opportunity - and NEVER VOTE FOR THE TORY'S BRINO.

9. Sydney Ashurst , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 16:11:

James Bertram,
We do not have a vote in any of these Constituencies, It was not a recommendation, purely pointing to its existence. In quite a few I would give the BP candidate a better chance and would hope the Brexit voter will put his cross in the BP box.
I have voted for the UKIP candidate locally knowing he will not unseat the Conservative.

10. L Jones , Tuesday, December 03, 2019, 16:31:

Comment 3 - Mr Ashurst. I have just received a flyer from my prospective Con MP. She says that her priority is to ... ''Get Brexit done with the current good deal''. I intend to write to her to ask her if she's actually read this ''good deal'' for herself and understands what it means to our country, or did some helpful civil serpent interpret it for her.
I won't hold my breath for a reply.

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